1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to rotating shaft bearing mounting structures and more particularly pertains to a new bearing support for facilitating removal and replacement of a bearing and supporting the rotatable shaft while the bearing is removed from the shaft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of rotating shaft bearing mounting structures in machines is known in the prior art. The bearings in the rotating shaft bearing mounting structures must periodically serviced, and the servicing typically includes removal and replacement of the bearings. On larger machines, the bearing removal and replacement is made more difficult by the fact that the removal and replacement must be performed at the site where the machine is installed. Known rotating shaft bearing mounting structures, especially those on larger machines, typically position the bearings in a cavity or channel that extends into the machine and, as a result, restricts access to the bearing. This restrictive positioning of the bearing in the machine makes the periodic servicing of the bearings more difficult. Making the bearing removal process even more difficult is the fact that the bearings are typically mounted in the cavity with very close tolerances which hampers the ability of service persons to get a grasp on the bearings, and resists sliding removal of the bearing from the cavity.
When the shaft supported by the bearing has considerable mass, such as in the case of grinding machinery where a roller is mounted on the shaft, the removal and replacement of bearings is further hindered. Typically, a hoist must be brought to the site of the machine to lift the end of the shaft such that the weight of the shaft and roller may be removed from the bearing so that the bearing may be removed and replaced.
The bearing support according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of facilitating removal and replacement of a bearing and supporting the rotatable shaft while the bearing is removed from the shaft.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of rotating shaft bearing mounting structures now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new bearing support construction wherein the same can be utilized for facilitating removal and replacement of a bearing and supporting the rotatable shaft while the bearing is removed from the shaft.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a bearing support including a bearing mounting structure for being supported on the machine. A bearing assembly is provided for receiving a portion of the shaft. A bearing housing assembly is positioned between the bearing assembly and the bearing mounting structure. The bearing assembly is supported on the bearing housing assembly and the bearing housing assembly is supported on the bearing mounting structure. The bearing housing assembly is removable from the bearing mounting structure prior to removal of the bearing assembly from the shaft for facilitating removal of the bearing assembly from the shaft. Another aspect of the invention includes a shaft support system for facilitating removal and replacement of a bearing assembly adapted for supporting a shaft on a machine. A shaft support assembly is mounted on the bearing mounting structure, and the shaft support assembly selectively supports the shaft on the bearing mounting structure independent of the bearing assembly for facilitating removal and replacement of the bearing assembly.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The objects and various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.